Andrew Lawson
Andrew Cowper Lawson | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Anstruther, Scotland |
| Died | June 16, 1952 (aged 90) |
| Occupation(s) | Geologist, professor |
| Years active | 1888–1952 |
| Known for | Naming the San Andreas Fault; 1908 Lawson Report on the 1906 San Francisco earthquake; naming the Franciscan Complex |
Andrew Cowper Lawson (July 25, 1861 – June 16, 1952) was a Canadian geologist of Scottish origin and a faculty member at the University of California, Berkeley. He played a key role in producing the seminal 1908 "Lawson Report" concerning the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and was the pioneer in recognizing and naming the San Andreas Fault in 1895, subsequently charting its entire length. He is also credited with naming the Franciscan Complex.
Biography
Lawson was born in Anstruther, Scotland, and relocated with his family to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada when he was six years old. He completed his undergraduate degree in natural science in 1883 and a master's degree in 1885 at the University of Toronto. Afterwards, he earned a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1888 while employed by the Geological Survey of Canada. In 1890, he briefly served as a consulting geologist in Vancouver before joining UC Berkeley as an assistant professor specializing in Mineralogy and Geology. He was promoted to full professor by 1892 and held the title of professor emeritus from 1928 until his passing in 1952.
His professional recognition included election to several esteemed institutions: the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1915, the United States National Academy of Sciences in 1924, and the American Philosophical Society in 1925. Lawson also led the Geological Society of America as its president in 1926.
During the 1930s, Lawson provided geological consultation for the development of the Golden Gate Bridge. His residence in Berkeley, constructed in 1908 by architect Bernard Maybeck with earthquake resistance in mind, has been officially designated as a city landmark.
The mineral known as Lawsonite, along with UC Berkeley’s Lawson Adit—a research tunnel currently utilized for seismological equipment—are named to honor him. Furthermore, both Lawson Peak within Sequoia National Park and Lawson Hill located in Contra Costa County carry his name.
References
- The California Earthquake of April 18, 1906: Report of the State Earthquake Investigation Commission, chaired by Andrew C. Lawson, Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 87, two volumes (1908) – Accessible online via USGS website.
External links
- 1861 births
- 1952 deaths
- Scottish geologists
- British emigrants
- Immigrants to Canada
- Immigrants to the United States
- Geological Survey of Canada personnel
- Johns Hopkins University alumni
- University of Toronto alumni
- University of California, Berkeley faculty
- Penrose Medal winners
- People from Anstruther
- Writers from Berkeley, California
- Scientists from the San Francisco Bay Area
- 1906 San Francisco earthquake
- Presidents of the Geological Society of America
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Members of the American Philosophical Society